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Amended ReturnsPrior Year Returns

Pub 4012 – Tab MPub 4491 – Part 9 – Lesson 34

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Why Amend a Return

● Something not correctly reported on original return New/updated information received by

taxpayer Should or could have used a different

filing status Mistakes Omissions

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For example…

● Received another (or corrected) income statement not reported on original return (W-2, 1099, ...)

● Claimed personal exemption deduction when someone else was entitled to claim it

● Claimed deductions or credits that should not have been claimed

● Did not claim deductions or credits that should have been claimed

NTTC Training – TY2015 3

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Filing Status Change

● Couples who previously filed MFS, HH, Single, or QW may amend and file MFJ Up to three prior year returns Must have been legally married as of

December 31 of the respective tax year

● Couples may NOT file MFS if they originally filed MFJ

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Do Not Amend a Return

● Math errors – IRS will correct them● IRS notifies taxpayer to provide missing

schedules/forms – taxpayer should respond as per notice

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Policy

● Counselors must have been certified for year being amended or prepared [need preparer and QR]

● Amended returns are prepared in TaxWise and paper filed with IRS

● Can prepare or amend returns for current and previous three years only

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Amended Returns

● Essentially, Form 1040X will be the taxpayer’s new tax return, changing their original return to include new information

● Whatever was last filed* is starting point Even if refund claimed has not yet been

received Even if balance due has not yet been paid

* or as last determined (e.g., IRS made adjustment)

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Amended Returns Statute of Limitations

● Time within which to claim a refund Later of:

3 years from original due date or actual date filed if later

2 years from date the tax was paid

● State statute may differExceptions to these statute rules are out

of scope

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Amended Returns Statute of Limitations

● Additional tax owing IRS barred by Statute of Limitation from

assessing more tax3 years from original due date or date

filed if laterLonger if fraud involved

Can always voluntarily amend and pay more tax

NTTC Training – TY2015 9

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Amending 2015 Return

● Example: Filed 2015 return, say in February 2016 Receive corrected 1099 in March 2016

● Wait until the IRS processes original (efiled) return before submitting an amended return Usually, 4 weeks is enough time to wait

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Interview

● Review previous return to be amended● Review previous Intake/Interview sheet● Verify amended return is needed● Ask taxpayer for any changes or

notifications made to return by IRS?● Confirm and note all items that need to

be changed on Intake/Interview sheetNTTC Training – TY2015 11

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Amending a Return

● Form 1040X is not year-specific – TaxWise has form in each year’s software

● Must use TaxWise for the year for which amendment is to be made If amending 2012, must use 2012 TaxWise

software In TWO, URL carries the year, e.g.,

twonline.taxwise.com/12

NTTC Training – TY2015 12

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Amending a Return

● Find original return prepared in TaxWise at same site (Client ID) Hopefully able to retrieve it in TWO

● If cannot retrieve original return, need to re-create return as a starting point

NTTC Training – TY2015 13

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Filing Status Change to MFJ

● Couples who previously filed MFS, HH, Single, or QW may amend and file MFJ Up to three prior year returns Must have been legally married as of

December 31 of the respective tax year

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When Re-creating Original Return

● What must be in “re-created” return All income, adjustments, etc. as on

original Form 1040 as filed Use same forms – don’t override 1040

linese.g., use W-2 for wages, do not input

directly to Form 1040, Line 7But don’t need employer address, etc.

NTTC Training – TY2015 15

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When Re-creating Original Return

● If changing schedule or form, e.g., business income Sch C, re-create Sch C as it was in original return If expenses listed on page 2, again list

expenses on page 2 This will be the surrogate for the original

return and is the starting point for needed changes

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Re-creating Original Return

● Amended return can only be paper filed, so some input detail is not necessary Only need the EIN and

Employer/Institution Name in W-2s, 1099s, etc.

Don’t need all detail in interest or dividend statements

Don’t need all detail in charitable contributions

NTTC Training – TY2015 17

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Sample Short-Cut Input W-2

● Enter employer name, amounts and codes

● OK to F3 to clear the red

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Re-creating Original Return

● If IRS made change to original return, incorporate the change In retrieved original return, or In re-created return

● If previously amended return, that is starting point

Use “last determined” return amounts

NTTC Training – TY2015 19

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TaxWise 1040X: Original Return

●Verify federal 1040 (page 1 and 2) and state returns match exactly to last determined return In TWO, “print return” and review on

screen Compare to last return filed

● When sure of starting point, proceed to amendment

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1040-X Step By Step Process

●Tip: Carefully follow each step detailed in Pub 4012 page M-1

● Add form 1040X

● Add state amended return form, if applicable

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Pub 4012 pg M-1

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Freeze as Originally Filed

● IMMEDIATELY click at top of Form 1040X pg 1 to lock in original return information

● Don’t forget to lock in state!

Crucial first steps when amending a return

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No Direct Entry to 1040X Pg 1

● Original amounts are now locked in and viewed as ‘overrides’

● DO NOT change anything on this page

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Making Changes

● Start with Main Info page Change of address, filing status or

dependents? Does taxpayer now have social security

number (was an ITIN used when originally filed)?

Set return to paper file

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Making Change to Filing Status

● Start with one spouse’s return, add the other spouse’s name, identification number, income, deductions, dependents, etc.

● Change filing status● Explain why amending returns

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Making Changes

● Proceed through each change that is needed with a new entry or a change to an existing entry If corrected 1099-DIV was received, change

Dividend Statement entries to match new form

If new 1099-INT was received, add new entry on Interest Statement

If new or revised W-2 or 1099-R was received, add or go to the form

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Example

● Additional $300 of interest income

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New entry to the Interest Stmt

Looks like this on 1040x

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Changes All Entered...

● Review bottom line on 1040-X page 1 Is amount owed or overpayment what

was expected?

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Form 1040X – Page 2

● Part I: Exemptions – shows changes made on Main Info Sheet

● Part II: Presidential Election Campaign Fund Check box to elect $3 president campaign

fund for taxpayer (or spouse) if taxpayer wants to and did not originally do so

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Part III, Explanation of Changes

● Identify why changes are being made (in a concise and easy to understand) “Received another W-2 after original return

filed” “Changed filing status to Head of Household”

● Identify each changed item ● Copy and paste the same explanation to the

state amended form ● No need to say that tax liability was changed as

result of other changes

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Enter Date

● Enter current date at bottom of Page 2 of 1040X

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Quality Review

● Does column A of 1040X agree to last determined return

● Were needed changes made properly● Did tax recompute properly● Make a note in Taxpayer Diary or bottom

of Main Info page of when and why amended return was prepared

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Printing Amended Return

● Print 1040X and any form or schedule that changed (two copies) If changed itemized deductions: print Sch A If changed business income: print Sch C If changed education credit: print 8863 And so on

● Do not include new 1040 in print packet

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Assembling Amended Return

● Attach to front of 1040X Pg 1 any new or corrected taxpayer forms W-2, W-2G, or 1099-R (if tax was withheld)

● Assemble other forms/schedules in “Attachment Sequence No” order behind 1040X pages 1 and 2

● Attach other supporting documents at end, if appropriate

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1040 Sch B (if changed)

1040X Page 2

Assembling Amended Return

● Do NOT attach pages from original return

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1040 Sch A (if changed)

Other changed schedules and forms (if changed)

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Filing Amended Return

● Must be mailed – find IRS address on TaxWise Home Page or print Page 5 (“Where to File”) of 1040X instructions

● No cover letter required● Taxpayer (and spouse if MFJ) must sign

and date copy to be mailed● Give taxpayer an exact duplicate copy

for their records

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If Amending Current Year

● Original e-filed return If taxpayer owed payment, complete

payment of amount due as amended If original return had refund, it will process

normally IRS will issue cash refund check, if any

● Okay to prepare amended return now, however taxpayer should not mail until 4 weeks after original return filed

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Amended 2015 Return

● If balance due: Taxpayer should file 1040X by April 15 or

as soon as possible thereafter with payment to reduce interest charges, if any

IRS will send a bill for interest

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Amended 2014 or Earlier Return

● If refund: IRS will pay interest with refund if any is

warranted Interest is taxable in year it is received

● Amended returns process in ~8 – 12 weeks

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Amending State Return

● Follow state rules for amending return as applicable

● Note: revised/new information could impact federal return but not state return or state return but not federal return, e.g.: Additional savings bond interest -OR- Additional municipal bond interest from

another stateNTTC Training – TY2015 40

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Taxpayer Summary Amended Return

● Review amended return with taxpayer Show changes and result of changes

● Instruct taxpayer on what needs to be done to file return Sign, address envelope, add postage If payment required – include with return

but do not “attach” it Date by which must be filed

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Prior Year Returns

● Must be certified for year being prepared (both counselor and QR person)

● May prepare returns for three previous years

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Prior Year Returns

● Taxpayer must complete Intake/ Interview Sheet for each prior year

● Need prior year’s software, IRS reference materials, volunteer quality/tax alerts (from irs.gov)

● Follow regular policies and procedures

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Prior Year Returns

● Returns for 2012, 2013 and 2014 can be e-filed State may be different Check with ERO or Local Coordinator

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Amended or Prior Year Returns

Comments?

Questions?

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